Potato-sorter.



PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904.

0. P. HALLOGK; POTATO SORTER.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

N VEN T019 0550 Zf/a Zlock A7TOHNEYS UNITED STATES Patented August 30, 1904.

PATENT O FICE.

POTATO-SORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 768,989, dated August 30, 1904.

Application filed September 19, 1903. Serial No. 173,792. (No model.)

To all whmn it-mmty concern.-

Be it known that I, OTTO PARKER HALLooK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mattituck, in the county of Suffolk and State of New Tork, have invented a new and Improved Potato-Sorter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. I

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved potato-sorter which is simple and durable in construction; very effective in operation, and arranged to sort the large potatoes from the smaller ones and to separate the dirt from the large potatoes.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the'same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of the improvement, and Fig. 2 is a plan'view of the same.

On the upper ends of legs A are secured the sides B of a box-like structure having crossbars B B for connecting the ends of the sides B with each other. On the top of the sides B and at the middle thereof is secured a hopper O, into which the potatoes to be assorted are dumped, and below this hopper, between the sides B B, is arranged a double grate D, consisting of a cross-bar D and two sets of gratebars D D extending longitudinally and con;

necting the grate cross-bar D with the box cross-bars B B The sets of grate-bars D D extend downwardly in opposite directions from the crossbar D to the cross-bars B B, so that the potatoes passing from the hopper C onto the grate D are separated at the cross-barD into two streams, running down by their own gravity in opposite directions on the sets of gratebars D D.

The grate-bars in each set are spaced apart to allow the smallen potatoes to drop down between adjacent grate-bars,while the larger potatoes roll down the grate-bars toward the lower ends thereof. The smaller potatoes and 5 the dirt dropping through between the gratebars D D fall into a hopper E, preferably made of canvas or like fabric material and. attached at its ends and sides to the cross-bars B B and the sides B of the box-like. structure. 5 5 The middle of the hopper E is provided with an opening E, through which the smaller potatoes and the dirt can pass and drop into a basket or other receptacle placed on the floor below the saidhopper E.

The large potatoes areadapted to pass into bags G, each held on'a bag-support formed by pins F, projecting from the outer faces of the sides B, at the ends thereof, (seeFig. 2,) for receiving the sides of the bag, and the top 5 edge of thebag is adapted to be hooked onto the pointed ends of arms F, mounted to swing on the sides B, so that the mouth of the bag extends over the outlets of the box-like structure for the potatoes to roll from the grate- 7 bars D D over the cross-bars B B into the bag.

Each set of grate-bars is provided near its lower end with a retaining device H for holding the large potatoes temporarily until a sufficient quantity has accumulated for discharging the same into the bag. This retaining device'H consists, essentially, of a shaft H,'

extendingtransversely under the corresponding setof cross-bars D and D and the ends of the shaft are journaled in the sides B of the box-like structure. From each shaft H extend prongsH curved upwardly and outwardly and extending between adjacent crossbars D or D as plainly indicated in the 8 5 drawings. A spring I, attached to a leg A,

is connected with an eye H on the rear end of the corresponding shaft H, so as to hold the said shaft and its prongs normally in a retaining position-that is, with the curved 9 ends of the prongs H extending above the grate-bars D D to retain the potatoes rolling down the said grate-bars. Each of the shafts H is provided with an outwardly-extending arm H, connected by a l withdrawing said projecting fingers of the relinh J with a treadle K, fulcriiuned at K on one of the legs A, and the said treadle K exl tends through a guide L. attached to another leg and serving tolimit the upward and downward movement of the treadle K, which is normally, however. held in an uppermost position by the action of the correspoi'nling spring l.

When a sul'ticient rpiantity of potatoes has accumulated on a retainer ll, then the operator presses the corresponding treadle K. so as to impart a swinging motion to the shaft H to swing the prongs H downward below the corresponding set of grate-bars D 1 to release the accumulated potatoes and allow the same to travel down into the bag G. As soon as the operator releases the pressure on the treadle K the retaining device returns to its former position by the action of the spring I to retain another load of large potatoes passing down the corresponding set of grate-bars D and D.

By the arrangement described a single operator can readily handle a large quantity of potatoes, as the retaining devices H are normally in an uppermost position and can be actuated successively by the operator passing from one end of the machine to the other, and when one bag is filled the operator can readily remove the filled bag and replace the same by an empty one without the potatoes rolling i from the machine to the ground.

The top of the grate cross-bar I) is rounder off, as plainly shown in the drawings, so as to readily separate the potatoes from the hopper G into two streams.

Having thus described my invention. 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A potato-sorter comprising a hopper, an inclined grate having spaced cross-bars for the potatoes filled into the hopper to travel down by gravity, a temporary retainer pivotally supported underneath said grate and having fingers extending upwardly between the gratebars above the upper side of said bars for retaining the potatoes on the bars, means for normally holding said retainer in its operative position with the fingers extending above the bars to retain the potatoes on the grate, and manual means connected with the frame of mit the potatoes to move on.

2. A potatosorter, comprisinga hopper, an inclined grate having spaced cross-bars for the potatoes lilled into the hopper to travel down by gravity, a temporary retainer located underneath the grate at the lower side thereof and having lingers extending upwardly through the bars for retaining the potatoes on the bars,

tainer when desired.

3. A potato-sorter comprising a hopper, a grate having two sets of spaced cross-bars, ex-

tending downwardly in opposite directions from the middle of the grate, the said middle of the grate being located directly below the middle of the hopper, for the potatoes filled into the hopper to separate on the middle or apex of the grate and travel by their own gravity in two streams down the grate-bars, and a retainer at the lower end of each set of grate-bars, for temporarily retaining the potatoes rolling down the grate-bars, as set forth.

at. A potato-sorter comprising a hopper, a grate having two sets of spaced cross-bars, extending downwardly in opposite directions from the middle of the grate, the said middle of the grate being located directly below the middle of the hopper, for the potatoes filled into the hopper to separate on the iiiiddle or apex of the grate and travel by their own gravity in two streams down the grate-bars, a retainer atthe lower end of each set of grate-bars, for temporarily retaining the potatoes rolling down the grate-bars, and manually-controlled means for actuating each retainer independent of the other, as set forth.

5. A potato-sorter comprising a hopper, a grate having two sets of spaced cross-bars, extending downwardly in opposite directions from the middle of the grate, the said middle of the grate being located directly below the middle of the hopper, for the potatoes filled into the hopper to separate on the middle or apex of the grate, and travel by their own gravity in two streams down the grate-bars, and a retainer at the lower end of each set of grate-bars, for temporarily retaining the potatoes rolling down the grate-bars, the said retainer consisting of a spring-pressed roclv shaft extending transversely under the gratebars, near the lower ends thereof, and curved prongs secured on the said shaft and adapted to extend between adjacent cross-bars, to reach with their free ends above the gratebars, as set forth.

6. A potato-sorter comprising a hopper, a grate having two sets of spaced cross-bars, ex tending downwardly in opposite directions I from the middle of the grate, the said middle the device for withdrawing the lingers to perof the grate being located directly below the middle of the hopper, for the potatoes filled into the hopper to separate on the middle or apex of the grate and travel by their own gravity in two streams down the grate-bars, a retainer at the lower end of each set of grate-bars, for temporarily retaining the potatoes rolling down the grate-bars, the said retainer consisting of a spring-pressed rocka spring for normally-holding said retainer in i, shaft extending transversely under the grateits uppermost position, and a foot-lever for l bars, near the lower ends thereof and curved prongs secured on the s aid shaft and adapted to this specification in the presence of two 'subto extend between ad acent cross bars, to scribing Witnesses. reach with their free ends above the grate- 1 bars, and a treadle mechanism connected with v OTTO PARKER HALLOCK' 5 each rock-shaft, for actuating the corresponditnesses:

ing' retainer, as set forth. HERBERT REESE GONKLING,

ln testiinong \vhereofl have signedmynarne i VVILL'IAM BETTS REEVE. 

